Railroads were the first big business enterprises of America and made possible many other industries. They knitted our expansive nation together and ably transported people, materials, supplies, goods, and mail. Literally hundreds, if not thousands, of railroads were built in the United States during the nineteenth century. Among the more colorful was the New York and New England Railroad, which connected Boston with the Hudson River via the uplands of Connecticut. If ever a company had its share of trials and tribulations it was this firm. Yet its fascinating, topsy-turvy past is today largely forgotten. This work brings to life how the New York and New England Railroad evolved from humble beginnings to becoming a potent transportation force. Meticulously researched with many period images and a lively text, our journey begins in the 1840s and lasts until the late 1890s. Climb aboard for a special trip into this unique chapter of American railroad history!

Mobilized in 1917 by New England railroads, this all-volunteer regiment served the victorious Allied armies on the Western Front in World War I by moving men and materials over narrow gauge railroads. The 14th Engineers helped the American army fulfill its plans to end the costly war in 1918.But the experiences of the 14th were only a small part of a ninety year history of the Boston and Maine, Maine Central and other New England railroads. Maps, illustrations, photographs and extensive appendices help support railroad history spanning the 1880s to the 1970s. The book is packed with human interest stories, ranging from presidents to clerks.An expansive bibliography offers further reading. The careers of several 14th veterans are interwoven against a fifty year backdrop of railroad events. One of the men became a railroad vice president, while another was probably the last 14th survivor. Local history features parts of New England and especially southern Maine.Over 50 years of New England Railroad history are seen through the eyes of a handful of World War I veterans who served together in one regiment.